24/7 Emergency and Specialty Care
By Julie Hooker
Since 2012, UVC has provided both 24/7 Emergency and Specialty Care for Salt Lake area pets. Like people, pets typically have a family, albeit veterinary practitioner, to take care of dental cleanings, vaccinations, and general wellness.
However similar to people, pets often need specialists for surgery, internal medicine, critical care, ophthalmology, neurology, radiology, oncology, and rehabilitation.
Locally, Summit County veterinarians are fortunate to have a veterinary referral hospital just down the hill to provide second opinions and additional services for pets. A family veterinarian may not have the specialized equipment to diagnose and treat certain traumatic and chronic injuries.
Founding veterinarians, Drs. Rowley and Stephan moved to Utah for its recreational lifestyle and to provide much needed services.
“I enjoy skiing, mountain biking and hiking. So, when I looked to move west and learned that the metropolitan area of Salt Lake was underserved by specialty
veterinary medicine, I knew ‘this was the place,’” explained UVC’s founding Medical Director, Dr. John Stephan.
Like Dr. Stephan, Dr. Deb Rowley wanted to move to Utah because she believes that, in addition to providing comprehensive eye care for animals, “there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices!”
Under the direction of Dr. Stephan and Dr. Rowley, Utah Veterinary Center received accreditation as a referral hospital from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).
While accreditation is required for human hospitals, it is voluntary for animal hospitals. Utah Veterinary Center understands the value placed on companion animals and therefore, the health of your animals is equally important for them. Utah Veterinary Center is evaluated on more than 900 standards including diagnostic services, pain management, on-site pharmacy and medical records.
Because veterinary specialists are essential for providing advanced medical care to companion animals, UVC is staffed with board- certified specialists. These veterinarians have completed a minimum of a one-year internship followed by three additional years of intense formal training in his or her area of specialty beyond their four- year medical degree program. All of this additional training is sealed with successful passing of a certification exam in order to earn the right to be called a specialist.
While the diagnostic equipment is state-of- the art, its greatest value is realized from the skills of the doctors and staff that utilize the equipment. Utah Veterinary Center provides ongoing professional development for veterinarians and the nursing staff.
The Emergency Department staff of UVC is trained and equipped to handle any emergency at any time. Upon arrival, a patient is evaluated and the urgency of the situation determined. To provide proper continuity of patient care, the ER doctors communicate with the pet’s family veterinarian. Conveniently located near the expressway on 7200 South, UVC is easily accessible from all Salt Lake communities in times of emergency.
While 24/7 Emergency Care is essential, UVC is renowned for its specialty services. Most veterinarians simply don’t have the equipment, experience and expertise to treat more advanced conditions properly.
In addition to specialty diagnostics and surgical procedures, UVC offers comprehensive rehabilitation and conditioning for patients with orthopedic conditions, gait dysfunctions, and soft-tissue injuries. Treatment programs are also available for obesity, geriatrics and K-9 athletes and working dogs.
Utah Veterinary Center and its staff is impressive. The receptionists listen and ensure that clients are directed to the appropriate doctors. Utah is fortunate to have a comprehensive specialty veterinary hospital with highly skilled and compassionate ER doctors and specialists for our pets.
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Local veterinarians refer clients and their pets to a veterinary specialist for the following reasons:
• A second opinion
• Advanced surgical procedures
• Advanced medical treatment such as chemotherapy or other serious medical conditions
• Access to state-of-the-art equipment such as a CT scan or ventilator support
• Medical diagnostics such as ultrasound or endoscopy
• 24-hour emergency care or advanced critical care monitoring
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